MSW students’ experiences with ACEs and capacity to address sibling violence: a pilot study

Abstract

ABSTRACT To date no research has examined Master of Social Work (MSW) students’ capacity to address physical and emotional sibling violence (SV) and those factors which may influence this capability. This pilot study examined a sample of MSW students in the Midwestern United States and their perceived capacity to address physical and emotional SV including the influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Results from students’ self-assessments indicated most students had not been exposed to SV content and ACEs were correlated with receiving and perpetrating SV. Differences were found based on the number of ACEs experienced and the frequency of SV behaviors, but not the capacity to address SV. Implications for training students are presented.